


For The Love of Books

by Severina



Category: Once Upon a Time (TV)
Genre: Community: lands_of_magic, F/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2015-07-03
Updated: 2015-07-03
Packaged: 2018-04-07 11:57:42
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,818
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/4262445
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Severina/pseuds/Severina
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Henry's little face twisted in a grimace. "Um… Belle? All the books in the library are… you know… old."</p>
            </blockquote>





	For The Love of Books

**Author's Note:**

> Post Season One, presuming that our heroes got some happy times for once. Written for LJ's lands_of_magic for their 'Badda Bing Badda Bang' bingo, for the prompt "Germany"
> 
> * * *

Belle paid her bill and waved at Ruby behind the counter as she left, then paused on the patio and checked her watch. Still fifteen minutes before she had to return to the library from her lunch break; enough time, possibly, to dash down to the bakery and pick up one of the cakes that Rumple enjoyed so much. Not that it would matter if she was late, she reflected as she set off down the street, or if she showed up at all. She could count the number of visitors she'd had to the library on one hand, and three of those were Rumplestiltskin. She simply couldn't understand it, especially with the curse still holding people trapped within the town. If one couldn't leave to go off on an adventure, why not take one vicariously through a book? It was almost as exciting, and there was no risk of being eaten by a yaoguai. 

"Hey, Belle."

Belle blinked, pulled from her thoughts of the book waiting for her back on the counter at the library – the daring criminal mastermind had just been about to make off with the crown jewels of Persia when she'd tucked her bookmark into place and stepped out for her sandwich and iced tea – by the voice. "Henry," she said, then frowned. "Shouldn't you be at school?"

"There's a football game today, so we've got a half day," the boy explained. "We're playing The Tigers, but I forgot my ticket at home."

"Aaah," Belle said. She had watched a game of football on television with Ruby and Archie once, but failed to see the point of moving a strangely shaped ball up the field in such tiny increments. She'd been helplessly bored, but her friends had found the game wildly exciting. And now Henry was being released from school to attend a game, yet he looked as though he'd been sentenced to thirty days of hard labour. Belle cocked her head, touched the boy on the shoulder. "Why so glum?"

Henry made a face as he hitched his backpack higher on his shoulder. "I have to do a report for social studies. Do you know how _boring_ social studies is?"

Belle, who had never before heard of 'social studies', had to admit that she did not. "What are you writing a report about? Maybe I can help."

Henry's face brightened with his grin. "Do you know anything about Germany?"

Belle pursed her lips, thinking, and quickly came to the conclusion that what she knew about that country could fit into one of Rumple's beakers with room to spare. "Not very much, I'm afraid," she said. "I'm sorry, Henry. With not having any memories myself, I've been focusing most of my attention on learning about North America."

"No," Henry said gloomily, "that's fine. I understand."

"But I know exactly what can help you," Belle said. At his puzzled look, she smiled. "Books! Why don't you come by the library after school tomorrow? I'm sure there must be lots of books about Germany, and I can help you research."

Henry's little face twisted in a grimace. "Um… Belle? All the books in the library are… you know… old."

"Books are books, Henry," she said confidently. "The facts in them don't change with time."

"No, but…" The boy sighed. "I need to know stuff like… how much grain they shipped to other countries this year compared to last year, and how many people immigrated there in the last two years. Boring stuff like that."

"Oh," Belle replied, her voice sounding as small as the boy's. She hadn't ever considered that the books in her library were anything less than perfect.

"Yeah," Henry said. He shifted his overstuffed backpack again as he turned toward his home. "Sorry, Belle. I bet you'd be _awesome_ at research."

"I'm sorry I couldn't be more help!" she called after him. Even his parting wave over his shoulder looked crestfallen. Belle stood on the sidewalk watching him go, his feet dragging on the pavement, and came to a decision. The bakery could wait. 

She turned her steps instead toward the shop, letting herself in through the back door.

"Rumplestiltskin, I need new books," she said without preamble. 

He was bent over his magnifying glass, frowning down at the clasp on the lid of a fine silver chalice, and didn't look away as the tiny implement in his hands plucked at the ornate seal. "Don't you have an entire library of books?" 

" _New_ books, Rumple," she said again. "Everything in the library is from before the curse! I need new books, books that speak of times as they are now, and—"

"Belle, this is really quite delicate work," he interrupted.

"Rumple—"

"My wallet is below the counter out front," he said, "in the locked drawer. If you absolutely must have these books, then you know where the credit card is."

She wasn't one for squealing, but she may have let out a delighted little squeak when she rounded the table to lean down and peck at his cheek. _That_ caused him to falter in his task, his hand wavering as he slanted a smile her way. "I could set this aside until later," he said.

"Rumple," she scolded, "I have books to order!"

He sighed elaborately. "Rejected for new reading material," he murmured. "Such is the life of a lonely shopkeeper."

Belle laughed, resting her hand on his shoulder to lean in and give him a more proper kiss. "I'm sure no one understands the burdens under which you toil," she teased, her grin widening when he abandoned his tools altogether to snake an arm around her waist. "I shall make it up to you later," she promised. 

"I will hold you to that," he answered, and stole another kiss before letting her go.

* * *

Rumplestiltskin glanced over at Belle as he pulled into his parking spot at the side of the shop. His love was practically vibrating with excitement, barely able to keep still in her seat. It had been much the same for the past two weeks. He shook his head. All this over some new reading material.

She had already undone her seatbelt and sprung from the car before he'd even gotten his door open, dancing in place as he set his cane onto the pavement and heaved himself from the vehicle.

"Hurry, Rumple," she said as he set the car alarm. "I need to get to the library early today. I told you, my books are arriving!"

"You had them delivered to the library?"

"Of course," she answered. "Where else?"

He opened his mouth to reply, but she was already darting ahead of him. "Rumple!" she called back over her shoulder. "The truck is already here!"

"The... truck?" he said, but Belle had fast outpaced him, and all he could catch of her was a glimpse of short skirt and long leg before she turned the corner and was out of sight. Rumplestiltskin followed at a more sedate pace, his brow furrowed. The truck?

It was the size of a moving van. He stumbled when he saw it, unable to move from the corner for a long moment while he watched several strapping young men unload boxes… and boxes… and then ever more boxes. He came to his senses and quickened his step, reaching the library door and pushing past a man built like a linebacker to reach the dim library interior. There were already at least two dozen oversized boxes lining the wall, and Belle was directing the placement of several more beneath the windows. He glanced back through the open door and saw that the truck was overladen with the damn things.

Rumplestiltskin knew his eyes were agog, knew that his mouth was hanging open but couldn't seem to prevent it. "Belle," he finally managed to gasp out, "how many books did you buy?"

"All of them," Belle answered blithely. "I'm going to have to close the library for a few weeks to organize everything, of course! But… oh Rumple, I have such plans!" He let her take his hand and lead him further into the building, gesturing with her other hand as she towed him along. "This section I'm going to use for history and science texts. Then the medical section there… and over there, in the corner with all the light? Some low tables and soft chairs and pillows for the little children, lots of vibrant colours, and all the primary books! Oh! And when I order some more computers with the internet and some bigger tables and have some good lighting installed, I can set up a whole study area over here, you see? With proper books. Henry will be able to find everything he needs to know about Germany now! And the older children will have somewhere to come and do their homework after school."

"Will you be installing a juice bar for them as well?" Rumplestiltskin said dryly.

Belle cocked her head, then her eyes lit up. "Do you think that's something they'd like?"

"Belle!"

"Oh," she murmured after a moment. "You were jesting."

"I was jesting," he confirmed. 

Belle bit her lip, her gaze going from the cardboard towers being constructed by the burly workmen to the battered tables and old books lining the shelves before turning back to him. "You… you don't think it's a good idea?"

Rumplestiltskin opened his mouth; quickly closed it again. He'd made the arrangements to get Belle ownership of the library simply because he knew it would make her happy. And this? This was Belle being deliriously happy. He could easily envision the environment she was proposing – a bright, open space filled with light and colour. Something modern and inviting. Something that would have the people of Storybrooke filing through her door in droves.

And Regina had fulfilled her end of the bargain when she cast the curse. He was rich, and he also had twenty eight years of rent collection gathering interest in his bank account, after all. He was fairly certain this endeavor wouldn't end with him declaring bankruptcy.

Fairly certain.

"I think it's a wonderful idea, sweetheart," he said.

She clapped her hands together, spun in place to view the room with a critical eye. 

"I was thinking new paint, perhaps? And I'm going to wrangle Ruby into helping me input all the little code numbers on the new books into the computer. I'm sure she'll help, don't you think? And if I _do_ decide to paint, Leroy and his brothers will be sure to pitch in, I just know it."

Rumplestiltskin leaned back against the desk, the enthusiasm in her words washing over him like a wave. Her entire face lit up when she smiled at him. And that alone was worth any amount of time in debtor's prison.

If it came to that.

Though he was sure it wouldn't. Almost positive.


End file.
